Hellenic Studies Program Sacramento State University

Greek Evzones coming to California! Next Thursday, April 16th we have the privilege of having Evzones from Athens with us. Please see the schedule in the flyer.
This is the first time that Sacramento has hosted Evzones. Come and meet them.

History of the first Greek Revolutionary flag

Greek Reporter (@GreekReporter) on X

Remembering celebrations of the past for this historic and enduring day in Greek history.

Wishing everyone a joyous Greek Independence Day celebration on behalf of the Hellenic Studies Hellenic Studies Program Sacramento State University

🇬🇷 #25ηΜαρτίου Χρόνια Πολλά! 🇬🇷

✍ «[…] άπαντες πνέομεν πνοήν ελευθερίας […] αι χείρες μας […] έλαβον τα όπλα κατά των τυράννων, […] η κεφαλή μας η κλίνουσα τον αυχένα υπό τον ζυγόν, τον απετίναξε, και άλλο δεν φρονεί, ειμή τη ελευθερίαν […] όλοι απεφασίσαμεν ή να ελευθερωθώμεν ή να αποθάνωμεν, διό και προσκαλούμεν την συνδρομήν και βοήθειαν όλων των εξευγενισμένων Ευρωπαϊκών γενών, ώστε να δυνηθώμεν να φθάσωμεν ταχυτέρως εις τον ιερόν και δίκαιον σκοπόν μας […]».
✍️ Π. Μαυρομιχάλης «Προκήρυξις προς τας ευρωπαϊκάς Αυλας», Καλαμάτα 25 Μαρτίου 1821

🇬🇷📣 Γιορτάζουμε την 25η Μαρτίου στο Εθνικό Ιστορικό Μουσείο, με ελεύθερη είσοδο για το κοινό, σήμερα από τις 10:00 έως τις 16:00. Σας περιμένουμε!

🖼 Alphonse-Marie de Neuville (1835 – 1885)
"Ο Όρκος των Ελλήνων"
Εθνικό Ιστορικό Μουσείο | Συλλογή Χαρακτικών
© Ιστορική και Εθνολογική Εταιρεία της Ελλάδος

Excited to work with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) for the instruction of modern Greek. We have a study abroad program this June.

Sacramento State University celebrated International Greek Language Day across three different courses on Monday, February 9th! In the CCE Modern Greek language classes, we had the honor of welcoming the Consul General of Greece in San Francisco, Grigoris Tassiopoulos.
In the History courses, students commemorated Dionysios Solomos, the national poet of Greece and a pivotal figure in the shaping of modern Greek identity. His most celebrated work, “Hymn to Liberty” (1823), inspired by the struggle for independence from Ottoman rule, later became the Greek national anthem. Through his writings, Solomos emphasized the importance of linguistic unity, cultural identity, and freedom—values that resonate deeply with the spirit of International Greek Language Day. His legacy remains central to understanding the evolution of the Greek language and its cultural significance.

🇬🇷
[following in 🇬🇧]
✍Τη γλώσσα μού έδωσαν ελληνική· [...]
Εκεί δάφνες και βάγια
θυμιατό και λιβάνισμα
τις πάλες ευλογώντας και τα καριοφίλια. [...]
Αγάπες μυστικές με τα πρώτα λόγια του Ύμνου.
Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου, με τα πρώτα λόγια του Ύμνου!
📖Οδυσσέας Ελύτης. [1959] 2011. ΤΟ ΑΞΙΟΝ ΕΣΤΙ. 21η έκδ. Αθήνα: Ίκαρος.

́μερα, 9 Φεβρουαρίου του 1857, απεβίωσε ο Διονύσιος Σολωμός. Το 2017 η ημέρα αυτή καθιερώθηκε ως Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Ελληνικής Γλώσσας.

🖼Προσωπογραφία Διονυσίου Σολωμού.
Εθνικό Ιστορικό Μουσείο | Συλλογή Ζωγραφικών
© Ιστορική και Εθνολογική Εταιρεία της Ελλάδος
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✍ I was given the Greek language; [...]
Laurel there and palm fronds
censer and censings
blessing the sabres and flintlocks [...]
Secret loves with the first words of the Hymn. 2
My only care my language, with the first words of the Hymn!
📖 Odysseus Elytis, THE AXION ESTI, 1959.

, February 9 1857, our national poet Dionysios Solomos passed away. This day was established as in 2017.

🖼Dionysios Solomos portrait.
National Historical Museum | Portrait Collection
© Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece

The Greek Evzones are coming to California!

Looking forward to the screening of "Yiannis in the Cities" (Θολός βυθός), Friday evening, February 20, 2026, at Delancey Street Screening Room, with director Eleni Alexandraki.

Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year to everyone from the Sac State Hellenic Studies Program.

Please attend tonight's lecture by Dr. Alexandros Kyriakidis. He is a visiting faculty at Loyola Marymount University. This will be an engaging lecture!

This is one statistic that the Greeks are not pleased to be at the top. It also highlights the perception of the majority of Greek people who feel that they are buried in taxes, regulations, and no prospects for financial improvement.

In 2024, 17.4% of the EU population was considered to be subjectively poor, an improvement from the 19.1% recorded in 2023. Learn more ➡️ https://link.europa.eu/twYjFR ℹ️ The subjective poverty concept aims to assess respondents’ perception of the difficulties in making ends meet experienced by their household.

Joanna Eleftheriou is at Sacramento State University to work on her new writing project. She is the third writer-in-residence for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Next Tuesday, Joanna will be reading from her work in progress "Dancing, Medals, and Debt from the Greek Islands to LA". If you are in Sacramento, please consider attending.